• Making the right cut. Surgeons who manipulate anatomy with
arthroscopic instruments obviously can't "feel" the tissue. We touch
the tissue indirectly with instruments, and therefore rely on image
quality to differentiate nearly identical anatomy. Working with the
clear, sharp images of 4K is especially important during suprascapular
nerve release — a shoulder procedure involving the release of a small
piece of tethered ligament over a nerve located just above the scapu-
la. Surgeons must identify the differences between the suprascapular
nerve and the band of ligament that needs to be cut. The decision is
reminiscent of the cliché movie scene when the action star has to
decide between cutting the red or blue wire to disarm a bomb. In this
case, the nerve and tissue band look nearly identical at first glance,
giving the surgeon a choice that's essentially like deciding between
cutting 2 blue wires. The improved clarity and resolution of 4K makes
it easier to tell the difference, because you can more clearly see the
nerve sheath anatomy and material fibers within the ligament.
Deciding where to cut becomes much clearer — literally — and you
can make the snip with added confidence.
• Drilling to the right depth. Ultra high-def imaging is also extremely
helpful as surgeons work in the back of the knee during a multi-liga-
ment knee reconstruction. When drilling a tunnel for the posterior liga-
ment in the tibia, the drill bit can go deep into the bone if the surgeon
applies too much pressure. This is a big problem, because large blood
vessels and nerves are in the back of the knee. When I'm drilling in this
area, small air bubbles will appear in the fluid around the joint, notify-
ing me that the drill bit is close to pushing through bone. When working
with the clarity of 4K, the warning bubbles appear sharper and clearer,
so I know exactly when to ease up on the drill pressure. Being able to
better notice visual feedback like that can make a big difference in per-
forming safer surgery.
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